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NRP To Participate In Operation Dry Water

Annapolis, Md. (June 21, 2010) – From June 25 through June 27, the
Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) will participate in Operation Dry Water,
a nationally-coordinated program to raise awareness about the dangerous use of
alcohol in a boating environment. During this weekend, detection and enforcement
of boating under the influence will be a nation-wide priority.

“Our main focus with Operation Dry Water is to prevent accidents and fatalities
while making our waterways safer and more enjoyable for all boaters,” said NRP
Colonel George F. Johnson IV.

Operation Dry Water is organized by the National Association of State Boating
Law Enforcement Administrators. The NRP, the United States Coast Guard and local
law enforcement agencies will utilize increased personnel to patrol during the
weekend. Officers will be targeting high-accident areas and areas where boating
and alcohol have been a problem in the past, but patrols will take place in
every part of the state.

Nationwide, 21 percent of boating fatalities result from alcohol use. In
Maryland, alcohol and illegal drug use were a contributing factor in 8 of 16
fatal boating accidents and 204 alcohol-related charges were placed against
boaters in 2009. The maximum penalty for operating a vessel while impaired by
alcohol is a $1000 fine and a year in jail for the first offense.

NRP would like to remind citizens that the sun, wind and water can cause fatigue
in boaters. Alcohol use magnifies this fatigue, impairs judgment and can lead to
accidents and death. NRP reminds boaters to boat safe, boat smart and boat
sober!

NRP would like to invite media personnel on ride-alongs. Interested reporters
should contact Sgt. Art Windemuth at 410-713-8449 by June 22.

The Maryland Natural Resources Police is the enforcement arm of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). With an authorized strength of 247 officers and a dedicated staff of civilian and volunteer personnel, the NRP provide a variety of services in addition to conservation and boating law enforcement duties throughout the State of Maryland. These services include homeland security, search and rescue, emergency medical services, education, information and communications services on a round the clock basis. NRP is the only police force aside from the Maryland State Police that has statewide jurisdiction.

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR), which
is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, is the state agency responsible
for providing natural and living resource-related services to citizens and
visitors. DNR manages more than 461,000 acres of public lands and 17,000 miles
of waterways, along with Maryland's forests, fisheries, and wildlife for maximum
environmental, economic and quality of life benefits. A national leader in land
conservation, DNR-managed parks and natural, historic, and cultural resources
attract 12 million visitors annually. DNR is the lead agency in Maryland's
effort to restore the Chesapeake Bay, the state's number one environmental
priority. Learn more at www.dnr.maryland.gov